Prof. Aloysius-Micheals Okolie, the Vice Chancellor, Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), said his administration was committed to re-inventing the Values and Traditions of the institution’s founding fathers.
Okolie said this at the 19th Convocation lecture of the institution at the Amadeo Event Center Enugu.
He said that the current administration of ESUT had cleared backlog of Convocations over time, adding that henceforth the institution would hold it’s convocation every November.
He said: “It is worthy to note that we have cleared the backlog of Convocations hinged on the neck of this institution and our convocation will come up every November of the year.
“Our greatest challenge since we took over office was how to re-invent the values and traditions of the founding fathers of ESUT.
“Another major challenges facing the institution is funding, which we have been putting some measures on ground to ensure financial independence.”
The chairman of the occasion Prof. Fr Obiora Ike said that the University remained a place where culture is being nurtured and that event of this nature should make teachers take sober reflection.
Ike said that teachers should look into thier roles as the society molder and know where they got it right or wrong.
Senate President. Sen. Goodswill Akpabio in his convocation lecture said that the 10th national assembly under his leadership intends to toke steps to jump-start the prioritisation of the education sector.
Akpabio was represented by Sen. Osita Ngwu who represents Enugu West Senetorial District at the 10th National Assembly
Ngwu spoke on the topic, Effective Legislation and Funding of Tertiary Education in Nigeria: The Challenges and The Way Forward.
The Senator said that senate shall review the Constitution of standing committee of the two chembers, so as to enhance strict enforcement of the core mandate of educational and regulatory institutions.
He said, “the Assembly hope to explore alternate funding sources, enhance the access and affordability of taking education, promote research and innovation and enhance the global competitiveness of our tertiary institutions.
“Funding plays a significance role in attracting and retaining high quality faculty, research and allows institutions to offer competitive salaries, research grants, professional development opputunites and a conducive work environment.
“Effective legislation ensures tertiary education institutions’ quality, governance and inclusively, while adequate funding provides the neccesary resources for exellence in teaching, research and students support.
“Together, legislation and funding plays integral roles in creating and environment that nurtures intellectual development, fosters innovation and prepares individual for a successful future,” Ngwu said.
In his address, Enugu State Governor, Gov. Peter Mbah represented by the Commissioner for Education Prof. Leonard Mbah said that Nigeria has 40 per cent of non completion of basic education.
Mbah said the state government had put programme on ground to arrest the fall in standard of basic education in the state and to ensure it’s safety at the higher institution.
“We want to ensure that the pupil are well equipped at the primary level and secondary schools are equipped with skills for self independent after school,” Mbah said.
